Girl of 16 banned from town centre she had terrorised

Chelsea Godden, 16, run amok at a community centre, abused and intimidated supermarket staff and one occasion sounded an air horn in a disabled pensioner's ear.

She was also involved in hurling abuse at children, terrifying the elderly, smashing bottles in a churchyard, vandalism and swearing at an off-duty chief inspector.

But the gang leader is now banned for two years from the centre of normally genteel North Walsham, Norfolk, after police and the local council were granted a full antisocial behaviour order.

Police will distribute leaflets featuring her picture and details of the ban so residents can check whether she breaches the court order. If she does, she could be sentenced for up to a year in a young offenders' institute with a further year's supervision.

Anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Jay Mitchell said: "The behaviour of Godden, and the gang associated with her, was escalating and getting more intimidating and violent.

"This will give people of North Walsham a welcome rest from her behaviour."

Visitors to North Walsham Community Centre were among the victims of the teenager and her gang. Since August last year, police have been called 15 times to deal with them.

Centre administrator Dominique Ward, 60, said: "We hold tea dances for elderly people and we've had a gang of teenagers running into the hall. Some of the elderly people have been frightened and stopped coming to events here."

Last month Godden was handed a temporary Asbo banning her from the centre of North Walsham, a step which saw the number of reported of incidents drop sharply.

On Thursday Emma Duncan, prosecuting for North Norfolk district council, urged magistrates at Cromer to make the Asbo permanent.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," she said. "Since the interim Asbo was granted the group Goddenhangs around with has gone to ground."

Godden's solicitor tried to prevent the teenager being named, claiming this would encourage vigilantism.

Godden had failed to sign an acceptable behaviour contract last November and had breached six dispersal orders in the town.

Yesterday she tried to blame a lack of facilities for the young for her behaviour, but claimed she would change her ways following the Asbo.

"If people want to say I am scum then let them," she said. "What am I supposed to do around here?"